The diary of Walker, Elven Face, Spoilers for fast food fight. Options

[FuelDrop]

Awh, c'mon! To be continued?!

Did your group end the game in the middle of the action or something? I'm on the edge of my seat here.

Yup. One guy had to go and pick up his wife, and another was hitching a lift with him. Those were the players of Shadow and Nitro, respectively.

[FuelDrop]

06/11/2070. Continued.
Anyway, one of the guards on the perimeter wasn't as dead as we'd thought and tried to start up one of the roadmasters. Rather than letting him drive away with half our paycheck Sarah quickly hacked in and brained him with an airbag. Not fatal, but in his condition it was a knock-out blow.
Note to self: Disable remote activation of airbags in the van.
Back inside the fight took a bit of a turn for the worse. The Duelist went down to some more of Nitro's fancy sword-work, and Shadow ran past to try and hack up one of the orcs taking cover behind the upturned desk in the corner. Wisely, this fellow decided that discretion was the better part of valor and dived out of the way in time to avoid the axe-wielding maniac. There was a moment of calm as Shadow ripped his axe from where he'd embedded it in the desk. The surviving dobermans had flanked around to the door and were drawing a bead on Shadow, while the orcs were abandoning their guns and drawing knives.
Then a massive red-furred bear appeared from out of nowhere behind Shadow, and things started going downhill.
As always, the first one to react was Nitro. He decided to solve the problem the way he solves all his problems: he charges it with a katana. He makes the thing bleed, but the hit isn't exactly a killing blow... merely enough to attract the brute's wrath. The drones opened up on Shadow. If he hadn't been wearing his armour he'd have been shredded, but fortunately it was up to the task and he stayed standing.
I have to commend Lone Star's armour contractor. They do not mess around when making armour for their HTRUs, as three orcs wielding knives proceeded to thoroughly prove. Through it all, bleeding from a half-dozen bullet wounds and a couple of stabs for good measure, Shadow didn't even flinch. Whatever 'Ware he's got or drugs he's on to let him completely ignore his injuries like this, I hope I never have to face anyone with it in battle. Especially a troll.
Sarah logs into Shadow's medkit to stem the worst of the bleeding and he does either the ballsiest or stupidest thing I have ever seen. He pulls a flash bang and lobs it into the corner, then tries to somersault out of there. The giant bear spirit catches him in midair and throws him to the ground just as the grenade goes off, and fortunately Nitro was smart enough to hit the dirt with his hands over his ears as well. Flash bangs are loud enough under normal circumstances, but in a confined space like this the blast goes beyond disorienting and into "Oh drek! My brains are pouring out my ears while my eyes bleed!" territory.
Obviously, the fight all but ended then and there. One of the dobermans had strayed too close to the blast and must have had its sensors fried, as it stopped contributing to the fight and just stood there.
Honestly, the bear spirit is the one I really feel sorry for. It gets summoned from its native realm against its will, forced into service by some self-important mage, then it gets hit with sharp bits of metal before finally someone goes and flash-bangs the drek out of it. When you've only had physical senses for a few seconds, flash-bangs are just cruel.

Anyway, after that it was pretty much a matter of killing the guy, cleaning up any evidence that pointed back to us, and getting out of there before the cops showed up. Miss Johnson payed up in full, including letting Sarah keep one of the roadmasters, which is my favorite way for a run to end.
Speaking of which, my van suffered one final indignity. Since part of the job was making sure their rigger's expensive 'ware wasn't available for retrieval we decided to do a little light organlegging on the side and resell it. Naturally, the body got thrown into the back of my van for transport.
Now to his credit Nitro put some effort into wrapping up the body so that blood didn't get spilled everywhere. Unfortunately we also retrieved the drone that got flash-banged for re purposing, and at some point it ended up on top of the headless troll corpse. Naturally, this meant that blood went EVERYWHERE.

I really need to find a discreet vehicle cleaners.

07/11/2070.

I asked the others out for a post-run drink tonight, but only Sarah took me up on the offer. Nitro said something about sitting around meditating, while Shadow was quite clear that he doesn't socialize. Ever. So, girls night out.
After a few drinks we get talking and I get to hear about her vendetta against the Humanis Policlub. Personally, I tend to simply hold all those elitist groups in contempt, but I can understand why you might get worked up over them. She didn't tell me exactly why she hates them so much, but there was a gleam in her eye when she told me all this that makes me think I haven't heard the last of it by a long shot.
Oh, and she payed me back in full. Provided she starts using her own vehicles instead of repeatedly ruining my ride, I think I'm beginning to like her.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Sounds like you had a good ride. The players in my Star Wars game had a hell of a ride, too. I threw a really huge boss droid at them and they killed it over the course of a marathon seven-hour session.

[FuelDrop]

Well, for all those playing at home here's a chance to join in: help me make Walker's backstory!

I have the basics: one of her parents was a runner (if anyone's 3rd edition characters want to make a cameo...), who taught her the basics of her current skill set. Since her late teens she's been doing Assassinations/Corporate espionage (generally something along the lines of impersonate someone close to the target, sneak in like that, then do the job and get out), with the 'official' job on both her real (national) SIN and her fake SIN saying she's an actor (She actually has several minor roles in a couple of low-budget trids). She grew up around Manhattan, but has recently moved to Seattle for some as yet undefined reason (fleeing, vengeance, something like that).

Normally I'd make something awesome up myself but since I'm also the GM on this one I'm a bit more focused on making the runs fun for everyone rather than putting the limelight on my own character, hence the plea for help. (Protip for GMs who for whatever reason have to add a GMPC and make it work: Leadership. They can guard the car/be ready to act as cavalry/be the exit strategy/guard the rigger's body + give the players really nice bonuses over the comms. No plot armour required, they're contributing without overshadowing the PCs, all sorts of nice stuff like that. YMMV.)

[FuelDrop]

12/11/2070.
I hate freebies.
Some context. Sarah called. There's been a murder up the block from where she lives, and she's not happy with how Knight Errant is handling the investigation. So she did the only logical thing and contacted a bunch of her runner friends. I'm a fekking career criminal, not a CSI detective! (That said, I did play one in a trid once...)
So we meet up and head out to the crime scene. For those keeping count, that's myself, a professional murderer who specializes in impersonating someone close to the target. Nitro, a ninja who's primary skill is cutting people into small chunks. Shadow, an ex-soldier who appears to have no skills or knowledge beyond ending people. Finally, we have Sarah herself, a Decker and Rigger with solid skills in both.
Note that no-one there have any skills in any form of criminal investigation. I foresee a disaster.
Also, she wants us to do it for free. If it was either of the other layabouts I'd have told them where they could shove this, but I actually like Sarah so I'm going to do it. For free. That is unnatural.

Afternoon.
Our first course of action was, naturally enough, to go to the crime scene and have a look around. Of course, Knight Errant had sealed the area off with their impenetrable police tape, along with a bored officer. This guy was barely enough to slow me down. A couple of words about how we were attached to a private investigator firm and he let us in... I get the distinct impression that his shift was almost over and he just didn't care any more. The victim was an orc teen who was killed while taking out the trash for his folks. Poor kid. The cops had removed the body, naturally, but Shadow said he could tell the type of weapon used based on the bullet holes near the site. An assault rifle. I don't doubt that it's possible to tell the weapon size based on the bullet holes it leaves behind, but Shadow's judgement still feels a bit suspect to me.
Anyway, we poked around for a bit and found that there was some kind of large vehicle had been parked on a nearby verge. It looks like our killer came here from elsewhere, then shot this unfortunate teen, then high-tailed it out of here. Naturally a nice neighborhood like this has cameras everywhere, and we have a Decker. No problem, right? Yeah, whoever we're after also has a Decker covering their tracks. Sarah does her stuff and works out where this Decker was when he wiped the cameras. He was down in Puyallup, in Ancients territory. I have a bad feeling about this.

Evening.
We rocked up at the location and sure enough there's an Ancient hangout. Instead of doing the smart thing, IE sending someone in to talk to them and see if they have anything to do with the murder. I might just be spitballing here, but if I were the Ancients I wouldn't have my Decker working from within my territory if they could plausibly be traced.
Anyway, take a look at the skillsets of my compatriots. Notice something in common? Violence. So, they decide to sneak in, knock someone out, then interrogate them elsewhere. Drone recon gives us a decent idea of how many people we're looking at, plus we find an entrance that's hard to reach but almost unguarded. In through the roof.
We sneak to the building around the back and climb up without being noticed. Then when we're in position Shadow takes out an Endoscope, slips it under the hidden trap-door... and face-plants straight through it to the floor below. I still don't know what he slipped on.
It gets better. The room he landed in? That would be the barracks just above the common room. REAL stealthy there.
At this point things progress pretty much as expected. Nitro and Shadow pummel some guys on the upper floor (Nitro is incredible at dodging. Half a dozen people opened up on him from the lower floor with long bursts and none of them so much as touched him. The floor got torn up pretty good, though.) , run into a bit of resistance on the lower floor, then Shadow panics and starts throwing flash-bangs.
Good news: The flash-bangs take out the majority of the Ancients with merely crippling damage to the dynamic duo.
Bad news: The flash-bangs attract the attention of the Knight Errant team watching the place. You know, where they'd tracked the Decker who wiped the footage from the murder they were investigating? Yeah, saw that one coming.
At this point we split up. Sarah picks up the others in the Roadmaster along with their prisoner, while I slip into the apartment building next door and hide among the squatters. That way if Sarah gets caught, I can bail them out and visa versa.

What follows is a car chase that makes the news as Sarah rams through the road block the cops are setting up (running a Knight over in the process. That's going to come back to bite us, I'm sure of it.) and bolts for Redmond. She manages to evade police interceptors 3 times by performing a series of increasingly desperate stunts culminating in DRIVING OFF AN OVERPASS. Once she hits the barrens and buys herself some breathing room I call around and find her a no-questions-asked chop-shop where she can do some repairs and repainting. Turns out Assault Cannon rounds do really nasty things to body-work. Who knew? I put the distraction of the car chase to good use and managed to slip past the police cordon through a couple of joined cellars. A quick trip home, a change of outfit, and a call to one of my contacts on the force was enough to get a copy of some data they found in the Ancient hideout. Meanwhile, the others set up a fake prisoner gambit and managed to confirm that the Ancients had nothing to do with the killing.

Finally, Sally did some follow-up on the data I got. It's info on a Decker that the Ancients noticed loitering on their patch around the time of the murder. Matrix searches turned up a single hit, an old Lone Star file. Naturally, it was corrupted. A Decker who covers his tracks on the matrix? Shocking. Anyway, Sarah reckons that there'll be a backup of the file on one of the Lone Star servers in the city, but we'll need to go on-site to retrieve it.
So, a run against Lone Star looks to be in the works.
For free.

When did I become a charity again?

[ShadowDragon8685]

"Sticking it to the Man" is not quite as much fun as "Sticking the Man to the Grill," even if the latter does tend to come back to haunt you worse. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


Anyway, this is amusing. I should probably stay out of your character's backstory, though. The last time I got involved, I dared my group to play an Amnesia 25-pt character in SR4.

They got a neotenous elf stuck forever in the awkward place between thirteen and fourteen.

[FuelDrop]

"Sticking it to the Man" is not quite as much fun as "Sticking the Man to the Grill," even if the latter does tend to come back to haunt you worse. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)


Anyway, this is amusing. I should probably stay out of your character's backstory, though. The last time I got involved, I dared my group to play an Amnesia 25-pt character in SR4.

They got a neotenous elf stuck forever in the awkward place between thirteen and fourteen.

Feel free to throw suggestions. I'm not obliged to use them if I don't think they work, after all (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

[Angelone]

In the States we had a show called Walker Texas Ranger. Walker solved most of his problems with roundhouse kicks. I started reading expecting that and was pleasantly surprised.

[FuelDrop]

In the States we had a show called Walker Texas Ranger. Walker solved most of his problems with roundhouse kicks. I started reading expecting that and was pleasantly surprised.

I think that would be the diary of Walker: Troll Face!

Anyway, glad to entertain.

[Grak]

This run has an echo of the old Shadowrun novels. Walker will do well to keep an ear to the ground and a predator on hand.

I don't think you've told us what Walker looks like, a description and stat block would be interesting to read.

Keep on posting Fuel, I like your story.

[FuelDrop]

Walker's Stat line:

[ Spoiler ]

Body 3
Agility 5
Reaction 3 (6)
Strength 2
Willpower 3
Logic 3
Intuition 4
Charisma 8
Edge 2
Essence 2.95

Skills:
Con 5
Impersonation 5
Performance 5
Etiquette 5
Leadership 5
Negotiation 5
Intimidation 5
Disguise 6
Stealth 4
Palming 4
Pistols 6
Perception 5
Blades 3
Unarmed 3
First aid 4
Hardware 2
Gymnastics 3
Lockpicking 1
Demolitions 3
Armorer 1
Computers 1
Pilot (ground) 1

Knowledge:
Black market pipelines (street) 3
Runner hangouts (street) 3
Vices (street) 2
Chemistry (academic) 2
Metahuman Physiology (academic) 2
Corporate security (professional) 2

Languages:
English (N)
Russian 4
Japanese 3
Sperethiel 2

Qualities:
Quick Healer.
Catlike.
Blandness.
Code of Honor (Assassins creed).
SINner (National, UCAS).
Allergy (minor, mushrooms)

Identities:
Jill Bonds (UCAS SIN), High lifestyle.
Carolyne Raynor (rating 4), NEOnet.

Contacts:
Mr Jones (fixer) Loyalty 3, Connection 4
Yagar (Rigger) Loyalty 4, Connection 3
Last chance (street doc) Loyalty 4, Connection 2
Constable Williams (Beat Cop) Loyalty 1, Connection 3
Shivers (Disassemblers ganger) Loyalty 1, Connection 1

Augmentation:
Transys Avalon implanted commlink.
Voice Modulator rating 5 (used)
Cybereyes rating 2 (Low Light, Smart Link, Vision Enhancement 3)
Damage Compensators 4
Symbiotes 2
Reaction enhancers 3 (used)
Tailored Pheromones 3

Vehicles:
Suzuki Mirage (bike)
GMC Bulldog (Van)

Other gear:
Lots. Seriously, too much to list here.

[FuelDrop]

Continued. Sorry, had to go to work.

[ Spoiler ]

Weapons:

Ares Predator V.
Silencer.
Gel 30.
APDS 30.
Stick and Shock 30.
5 spare clips.

Streetline Special.
Gel 12
1 spare clip.

Beretta 201t
Smartgun.
Gas vent 3
Gel 42
Explosive 42
3 spare clips

Colt America
Silencer.
Internal Smart Gun.
S&S 24
APDS 33
5 spare clips

Defiance Ex Shocker.
Smart Gun.
20 Darts.

Fichetti Security 600
Smartgun.
Silencer.
S&S 90
APDS 90
5 spare clips.

Combat Knife.

Armour:
Armour Jacket.

Actioneer Business Clothing.

Armour vest.

Lined Coat.
synthleather.

Helmet.

Misc casual clothes (various styles)

Gear:
Metro Link.

Bug Scanner 6

Directional Jammer 6

Tag Eraser.

White noise generator 6

Glasses (style: Sunglasses) 2
Flare compensation
Vision Magnification

Hand Sensor 1
Laser Microphone.

10 plastic restraints.

Auto picker 6

Lockpicks

Maglock Passkey 4

Sequencer 4

Gas mask

Gecko tape gloves

Grappling Gun

stealth rope 100 m

Catalyst stick

Medkit 6

Respirator 6

3 kg commercial explosives

3 blasting caps

3 doses cram

3 doses jazz

assorted licences (real and fake)

See why I need that van? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Alas I haven't really had much time to pin down Walker's physical appearance (It'd be a lot easier if I didn't have to write runs every week!) so if you, dear reader, wish to submit a description or vote on an existing description, the floor is all yours (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

EDIT: Just realized I forgot to clarify: I've been getting away with no description because in our group it's pretty much taken for granted that if you're out on business you're wearing a disguise, provided you have the skill.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Code of Honor (Assassins creed).

Nothing is true, everything is permitted?



In that case, I'd say what she looks like is a free-runner wearing heavy white robes to show off like a boss. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)
She doesn't really have the stats to back that up, though. Not nearly enough physical skill and gymnastics, or blades, and no specialization in spurs or those not-spurs you strap to your forearm. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FuelDrop]

Never did play those games. I hear they're good, but I've just never had time.
You know how it is.

[ShadowDragon8685]

Never did play those games. I hear they're good, but I've just never had time.
You know how it is.

Not really, though I wish I did. I have nothing but time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Start with II, then play Brotherhood and Revelations. Don't bother with I - too much fuck to go along with the good, stuff they ironed out in making II. Things like galloping on your horse alerting every Crusader between the Holy Land and Constantinople to your presence and bringing them at a dead run to come beat your ass, yet them not giving a fuck if you trot past just slightly slower.

[e]I'm mid-way through Revelations right now. They improved on a lot of stuff from II and Brotherhood, but they also managed to fuck up some stuff that makes me gonk, too. Revelations is set entirely in Constantinople, with no countryside in the walls, unlike Rome in Brotherhood, yet despite all the work that went into letting horses into the city in Brotherhood, there's nary a horse to be seen in all of Istanbul. And the Den Defense minigame... Ugh. How did they fuck up tower defense, huh? Worse, how did they fuck it up so badly that most people find it simpler and more expedient to go full-on with Tau tactics and abandon the damn towers, let the Templars reclaim them, and reclaim them back from the Templars.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Not really, though I wish I did. I have nothing but time. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Start with II, then play Brotherhood and Revelations. Don't bother with I - too much fuck to go along with the good, stuff they ironed out in making II. Things like galloping on your horse alerting every Crusader between the Holy Land and Constantinople to your presence and bringing them at a dead run to come beat your ass, yet them not giving a fuck if you trot past just slightly slower.

[e]I'm mid-way through Revelations right now. They improved on a lot of stuff from II and Brotherhood, but they also managed to fuck up some stuff that makes me gonk, too. Revelations is set entirely in Constantinople, with no countryside in the walls, unlike Rome in Brotherhood, yet despite all the work that went into letting horses into the city in Brotherhood, there's nary a horse to be seen in all of Istanbul. And the Den Defense minigame... Ugh. How did they fuck up tower defense, huh? Worse, how did they fuck it up so badly that most people find it simpler and more expedient to go full-on with Tau tactics and abandon the damn towers, let the Templars reclaim them, and reclaim them back from the Templars.

Sounds... Frustrating... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

[ShadowDragon8685]

Sounds... Frustrating... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

Eh, not so much. The Meddeterranian Defense minigame can be frustrating, though. For instance, it continues to tick over - you lose Control on cities you have control over - even during times (such as all of Chapter 7) when you have no access to mail posts, let alone dens (because Ezio's not in Constantinople,) so you come back to find the minigame in disarray with half your cities under siege by the Templars.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Eh, not so much. The Meddeterranian Defense minigame can be frustrating, though. For instance, it continues to tick over - you lose Control on cities you have control over - even during times (such as all of Chapter 7) when you have no access to mail posts, let alone dens (because Ezio's not in Constantinople,) so you come back to find the minigame in disarray with half your cities under siege by the Templars.

I guess that is one of the reasons I don't play those kinds of games. I would be very frustrated. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FuelDrop]

Okay. Finally got a description hammered out, complements to my girlfriend for helping me get the details right.

Walker is an attractive female elf. She's about 1.7 meters tall, has long red hair which reaches down just past her shoulder blades and a fairly pale complexion. Her cybereyes can change colour on a whim, a common feature but very useful for a face. She has to get her hair cut and regrown occasionally due to heavy use of dyes, but she considers this to be a cost of doing business.

Um... I'm really not good at this. Any other details people want?

This is really embarrassing. If there's one thing I'm REALLY bad at writing, it's character descriptions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

[ShadowDragon8685]

Okay. Finally got a description hammered out, complements to my girlfriend for helping me get the details right.

Walker is an attractive female elf. She's about 1.7 meters tall, has long red hair which reaches down just past her shoulder blades and a fairly pale complexion. Her cybereyes can change colour on a whim, a common feature but very useful for a face. She has to get her hair cut and regrown occasionally due to heavy use of dyes, but she considers this to be a cost of doing business.

Um... I'm really not good at this. Any other details people want?

This is really embarrassing. If there's one thing I'm REALLY bad at writing, it's character descriptions. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/frown.gif)

Ah hell, why not.

Try this on for size.
Walker, the Elf Face
Standing just under five and a half feet tall, this elf is a very pretty girl, but not the kind of bombshell which permanently sears herself in the mind's eye of everyone who comes into contact with her. When not disguised as anyone specific or as any given archetype, she has the look of the hometown girl, the girl-next-door, with a lightly freckled face, long red hair which is unfortunately frequently subjected to the abuse of the scissors and dye, and an easy sexuality about her that might suggest a strong Irish ancestry. Elven supermodels would consider her practically obese, orc girls would think she needs a few cheeseburgers but has a moderately satisfactory amount of meat on her bones. Passing her on the street, you wouldn't glance at her twice - just a pretty face in the crowd, something that you might smile and think fondly on, but nothing too dramatic. Her breasts are a nice handful without being memorable, her hips are pleasantly curved without being booty. She was just a girl, you saw her; you'd have liked to have kissed her at the time, but thinking back on it, you can't really remember. Did she have green eyes, blue? Freckles, none? Long hair... Maybe. Was it red, or auburn, or blonde? Sorry, officer. She was just a pretty face, one in a sea of them.

This is the image I used as inspiration. Assuming a minor illusion to make her ears all rounded and a recent cut-and-dye job, hell, it could actually be her. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[FuelDrop]

Ah hell, why not.

Try this on for size.
Walker, the Elf Face
Standing just under five and a half feet tall, this elf is a very pretty girl, but not the kind of bombshell which permanently sears herself in the mind's eye of everyone who comes into contact with her. When not disguised as anyone specific or as any given archetype, she has the look of the hometown girl, the girl-next-door, with a lightly freckled face, long red hair which is unfortunately frequently subjected to the abuse of the scissors and dye, and an easy sexuality about her that might suggest a strong Irish ancestry. Elven supermodels would consider her practically obese, orc girls would think she needs a few cheeseburgers but has a moderately satisfactory amount of meat on her bones. Passing her on the street, you wouldn't glance at her twice - just a pretty face in the crowd, something that you might smile and think fondly on, but nothing too dramatic. Her breasts are a nice handful without being memorable, her hips are pleasantly curved without being booty. She was just a girl, you saw her; you'd have liked to have kissed her at the time, but thinking back on it, you can't really remember. Did she have green eyes, blue? Freckles, none? Long hair... Maybe. Was it red, or auburn, or blonde? Sorry, officer. She was just a pretty face, one in a sea of them.

This is the image I used as inspiration. Assuming a minor illusion to make her ears all rounded and a recent cut-and-dye job, hell, it could actually be her. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

You, my friend, are awesome. That is now my official description for Walker.

You have won yourself one internet.

[ShadowDragon8685]

You, my friend, are awesome. That is now my official description for Walker.

You have won yourself one internet.

Woots!

*Electric guitar riff*

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

This is the image I used as inspiration. Assuming a minor illusion to make her ears all rounded and a recent cut-and-dye job, hell, it could actually be her. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Awesome Pic, ShadowDragon8685... Good Find... Good description too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[ShadowDragon8685]

Awesome Pic, ShadowDragon8685... Good Find... Good description too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I didn't find it, in all honesty. A friend of mine sent her to me. This is the one I found, and used as an alien space miner. The woman in lingerie was a foil for her.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I didn't find it, in all honesty. A friend of mine sent her to me. This is the one I found, and used as an alien space miner. The woman in lingerie was a foil for her.

It's all good. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Entertaining Miner too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)